Coloring Contest.

[All entries can now be found here.]

So it's coloring contest time at your local supermarket and you're feeling blue because it's been ages since you could pass for an eleven year-old. You want to color, darnit. And more importantly you want to see your picture posted on the big supermarket window next to the bags of dog food and packs of Marlboro Lights.

Okay, maybe you don't feel that way at all. Maybe it's just me.

I used to love participating in coloring contests for two reasons. One, I would get to see my work in a public forum (when I actually remembered to turn the sheet in) and two, I didn't have to deface my own coloring books.

I had issues about "ruining" the pages of my coloring books and usually kept them blank.

So, I want you to participate in dollarshort's coloring contest.

Inspired by this beautiful exhibit entitled The Floating World of Ukiyo-E, I scanned one of my favorite pages from my Japanese prints coloring book.

All you have to do is download this image, color it in (digitally, of course) and email it back to me and I'll post in on dollarshort.org along with your name and URL.

It's wholesome Internet fun!

But wait! There's a prize:

The winner (meaning my subjective favorite) will receive a $10 gift certificate to Amazon.

Yeah coloring!

But don't do it for the prize. Don't do it for the fame. Just do it for art's sake.

Just for kicks, you can download this larger version (288k) and print out and color your very own Japanese print.

And then, make sure to visit the exhibit. The works are gorgeous.

Deadline note: I've already received some great entries and I'm thinking that it's safe to set a deadline. So, the due date for this assignment is November 1.

Comments

[Paul]

...... when's my coloring homework due by?

[Mena]

Well, I hope you're being serious and that means you're participating.

I'll set a due by date when I start getting files sent back. If no one participates :( Then, I guess it will go on forever.

[Dawn]

Mena! This is such a good idea. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. I just printed out my copy. Yay.

[Pegasong]

I wanna play. I remember not wanting to get my colouring books messed up. I also remember at 18 sitting outside my barracks room on the balcony colouring while everyone else walked by. They all thought I was nuts.

You can go to Toys R Us (or at least you could) and colour a flag for them to hang on the wall. The flag you colour also means they donate a dollar to the ARC for NYC victims/firefighters/etc. I got mine hung up on the wall. :)

*runs to find her colour crayons*

[Kevin]

What a neat idea. I think I'm going to to this to learn something about photoshop

[Bell Rocker]

pick mine! pick mine! pick mine!

oh wait. i have to colour it in first, right?

[kim]

This is so cool.

I actually won a coloring contest at a grocery store one time when I was six. The picture had Care Bears on it, and I got a Care Bear bank that was shaped like Sunshine and had fur and everything.

That was so cool too.

[Jeani]

Ooooh, I am so excited! Mena, you seem to bring back some of my most favorite things from childhood. MASH was so much fun, and now this!

[torie]

hi. when i was 6 i won a coloring contest, where i had to color in this kid doing some crazy karate high kick. i won a month of free lessons, a free outfit and belt. regardless, i found it much too stupud to be a hobby, and i was chubby kid, so i felt reallt self conscious. so, after my free lessons, i quit.

anyways, i'm sending in my entry asap. coloring rocks!

[Bell Rocker]

*busy colouring*

[Erma]

Ah, the memories of coloring contests at the grocery store. This is great!

[Kevin Smokler]

I'm beside myself with joy that I was able to color in the fan. Plan to see my entry about May as I embark on this wonderful Photoshop adventure!

[Bell Rocker]

That was fun, Mena. Like, thanks! Finally finished mine and am sending it in asap. Hurry up, kids - don't miss the deadline. There are heaps of little bits and pieces in that picture - I have a deepened respect for graphic designers now. Can't wait to see the whole GALLERY! :D

[Ed]

Man, I blow chunks at Photoshop. While I am the master layer oaf, it's the intricacies that get me in the end. And lo and behold, I've started coloring in the smaller image when there is in fact a larger image available. D'oh!

[cybertoad]

Well - I've finally sent my entry in - it will be very primitive looking (I know minimal Photoshop and don't even know how to do layers) but I like the colors!

As for coloring contest when I was child, I used to cheat. My older sister (8 years older than me who is now a professional painter) would color them in for me and I would turn them as if I had done them. Once, she got selected to be Queen of the Barnum & Bailey Circus but when they saw how big she was (she was taller than average for her age) and then saw cute little me (5 years old with ringlets), they took me instead! I got to go down to the circus floor and parade around with a big old crown on my head!

[june]

i'm sad that i just found your webpage three days after the deadline for the colouring competition. :-(

would there be a part II?

i love the japanese print nevertheless and have downloaded it for my own gratification. thanks!!

[Kristin Trott]

mena,
when are you putting up the gallery? you better do it before your northern travels. i want to see the pretty pictures!

[Rosie]

Mena,
I am very new at this website. I was searching for coloring contests and found yours, but I have a few problems. First of all, I don't know what you mean by layers. Second, I don't have Printshop or Paintshop or whatever it is, I only have Paint. HELP!!!!!

[Rosie]

Oh, NO!!!! I just saw the due date above! Do you mean November 1, 2001 or November 1, 2002? I hope I'm not too late! I've already started coloring! I'm only done with the skin, grass, fan, and water, but just that much has already taken me 4 hours and 16 minutes! Please tell me I'm not too late!!!!